Focal Point
Multiple-Choice Lander
Pete McIntosh (15718 Edenvale, Friendswood, TX 77546; E-mail: [email protected]) added something extra to his Sig Somethin' Extra: an additional set of landing gear. Pete makes inverted landings with this aircraft.
Both tail wheels are steerable. A Magnum .46 engine is used for power, and the radio is an Airtronics Vanguard FM (VG6DR). Covering is MonoKote.
"Inverted takeoffs are just as challenging as the landings!" wrote Pete.
B-25 With a Background
Robert J. Huelsbeck (3224 Barkwood Ln., Appleton, WI 54914) built this B-25 Mitchell from a Royal kit. It spans 71 inches and is powered by two O.S. .45 engines. It features working bomb-bay doors, flaps, and fixed landing gear.
Robert covered the model with random-weave polyester fabric and painted it with Sig butyrate dope. He finished it in a scheme similar to that of the B-25 in which he served during World War II in the Pacific Theater.
"It weighs 10 pounds, 4 ounces, and is a very good flier," wrote Robert.
Patriotic Lanier
Stanley Maisch (5747 W. Paradise Ave., Visalia, CA 93277) built this patriotic Lanier Flying Boat from a kit. It's powered by an O.S. .40 engine.
"It's a beautifully designed airplane, and it's ready for the open water," wrote Stanley.
Canadian Flair
Chris Costantino (9793 S.W. Santa Monica Dr., Palm City, FL 34990; E-mail: [email protected]) had a slight mishap with his 40% 3W Extra 330, and after repairs he repainted it in a striking Air Combat Canada scheme.
A 3W-150 TOC engine turning a 32 x 12 propeller powers this model. It features three JR 8411 servos for each aileron and four on the pull-pull rudder system.
"She flies like a dream and 3-Ds with the best of them," wrote Chris.
Scratched Frank
Richard L. Young (1732 Roanoke Ave., Aurora, IL 60506) scratch-built this model of the Japanese World War II Nakajima Ki-84 "Frank" that he designed from an enlarged Air Age three-view.
It features a fiberglass fuselage and a cowl fabricated from homemade molds. The 62-inch-span foam-core wing is covered with 1/64 plywood. The model features Rhom-Air retracts and a SuperTigre .90 engine.
Pull-Pull Controls
David R. Hobbs (11421 W. 70th Terr., Shawnee, KS 66203; E-mail: [email protected]) designed and built this model and named it "Pullit" because it features pull-pull controls on all of the movable surfaces. The pull-pull system uses .039-inch-diameter music wire soldered to standard clevises.
David reports that there is no slop in the linkage anywhere, and that "the airplane is very aerobatic and can be slowed to almost a walk on landings."
German Extra
Roland Quasthoff (Blumberger Damm 239, D-12687 Berlin, Germany) sent this photo of his scratch-built Extra 300S. The foam-core wings feature an original airfoil design, and they, along with the fuselage, are covered with Oracover.
A Zenoah G-62 engine drives a 23 x 10 Menz Ultra propeller at 6,400 rpm.
"It took me about 1,000 hours over a period of 1 1/2 years to get everything done, including the molding for the fiberglass canopy and the fiberglass cowling," wrote Roland.
Canadian Lysander
Martin J. O'Neill (719 Cooper, Placentia, CA 92870; E-mail: [email protected]) built this Westland Lysander from Bob Holman plans.
It has a wingspan of 70 inches and is powered by an HP .61 engine. The model features operating landing lights in the wheel pants. Its colors and markings are of the Canadian Search and Rescue. Martin covered the Lysander with Solartex and has a Futaba radio control system onboard.
Honoring a Friend
Wayne R. Powers (135 Fitzgerald Rd., Jackson, TN 38301) submitted this photo of the Piper Cherokee that his friend Walter Finley built for him from a Great Planes kit.
"He flies several times a week, and is still a very fine builder," wrote Wayne.
Walter is shown with the Cherokee, which is powered by a Thunder Tiger .46 engine.
Twin Water Bomber
Jeff Arneson (4125 Olympic Ln., Columbus, GA 31907; E-mail: [email protected]) built this Canadair CL-215 water bomber from Steve Gray plans.
It uses two O.S. .32 SX engines and a Futaba six-channel radio for guidance.
"This is the first twin engine RC airplane I have ever flown," wrote Jeff. "I have made three flights with it from land, and will attempt water flight as soon as the wing tip pontoons are completed."
1/2A CL Scale Nieuport
Norman Andersen (3220 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407) modified an old Guillow's Nieuport 11 Free Flight kit to produce this 1/2A Scale CL flier.
"The first couple of flight attempts became very exciting free flight episodes when the airplane started coming after me," wrote Norman. "I felt like I was in a dogfight. The tiny Williams pilot managed some remarkable maneuvers prior to a vertical landing."
When rebuilding, the Cox .049 engine was replaced with a Norvel .061 and the tip weight was tripled.
"The new configuration yielded success and long controlled flights," wrote Norman.
Modified Stinger
Jerry Leake (9843 E. Roadrunner Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85262; E-mail: [email protected]) extensively modified a Lanier Stinger and renamed it the Boeing XP5-1. He worked for Boeing for 38 years.
Changes included increasing the wingspan to 92 inches and augmenting the tail surfaces by 4 inches by adding rounded tips.
Jerry's wife Marie poses with the Zenoah G-62-powered model. Other features include 21st Century Fabric covering and a pilot that was custom-painted to look like Jerry.
Lear Fan 2100
Edward B. Hess (Box 222, Molalla, OR 97038) sent this photo of his Lear Fan 2100. It spans 80 inches and has a fuselage length of 80 inches.
The model is powered by a Saito 130 Twin four-stroke engine, weighs 16 pounds, and has Spring Air retracts. The built-up fuselage and wings were sheeted with 3/32 balsa skins then covered with fiberglass.
Rare Blohm und Voss
Robert Nessler (3597 Clifton Way, Fortuna, CA 95540; E-mail: [email protected]) built this 1/6-scale Blohm und Voss Ha 137 from enlarged and modified plans from Scale Plans and Photo Service.
He wrote that the Ha 137 V-3, with the lower cheek cowling that covered a Rolls-Royce Kestrel 12-cylinder engine, was one of a kind among the six versions of the airplane that were built.
This model spans 72 inches and is powered by a SuperTigre 2300 engine.
Father-Son Bonanza
Guy Forshey (260 Bel St., Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; E-mail: [email protected]) sent this photo of the TopFlite Beechcraft Bonanza V35 that he and his son Brenton built together. They started it in June 1998 and completed it in November 2001.
The model is equipped with Robart retracts, operating navigation and strobe lights, and a hand-built cabin area with upholstered seats.
"The entire model is covered with scale-sized aluminum panels of .005 inch thickness and features thousands of simulated head and flush rivets," wrote Guy.
Share Your Model
Proud of your latest building or flying effort? Share it with MA's readers! Send us a glossy color print (no digital photos under 300 dpi, no e-mailed submissions, and no photocopies), with an appropriate description (no handwritten submissions), and we'll run the best submissions as space permits.
Please include your full address (including e-mail, if available) so that interested parties may contact you directly.
Send to:
- Model Aviation
- 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie, IN 47302
- Attn: Focal Point
Because of this section's popularity, it may be several months before your model is featured.
Darn Good Show!
Otto Dusak (8 Wedgewood Ct., Alamogordo, NM 88310; E-mail: [email protected]) built this Sig Kadet LT-40 approximately five years ago as his first model and training aircraft.
As he became more advanced in flying other aircraft, he decided to experiment flying a trainer with floats. He used 36-inch-long BJ floats for the conversion. An O.S. 52 four-stroke engine powers the model, and a Futaba radio is used for guidance.
"Every time I fly, enthusiasts gather and boaters anchor to watch and enjoy a darn good show!" wrote Otto.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
